“IN PREPARING this edition of The Imitation of Christ, the aim was to achieve a simple, readable text which would ring true to those who are already lovers of this incomparable book and would attract others to it. For this reason we have attempted to render the text into English as it is spoken today rather than the cloudy, archaic terminology that encumbers so many translations of Christian classics. The result, we feel, has achieved a directness and conciseness which will meet the approval of modern readers. In the second place, we have made use of the familiar paragraph form, doing away with the simple statement or verse form of the original and of many translations. This was done in the interest of easier reading, and in order to bring out more clearly the connection between the single statements.”

A note about the text:

The Imitation of Christ (De Imitatione Christi) by Thomas à Kempis was written in Latin circa 1418-1427. The Imitation is perhaps the most widely read devotional work next to the Bible and is regarded as a devotional and religious classic. Apart from the Bible, no book has been translated into more languages than the Imitation of Christ. The text is divided into four books, which provide detailed spiritual instructions: “Helpful Counsels of the Spiritual Life”, “Directives for the Interior Life”, “On Interior Consolation” and “On the Blessed Sacrament”. The approach taken in the Imitation is characterized by its emphasis on the interior life and withdrawal from the world, as opposed to an active imitation of Christ by other friars.”

Also, I had hoped to post a free downloadable TEXT version translated by William Benham. The advantage of a text version is that you can copy direct into MS Word and create your own format for a printable version for daily reading if you wish. At present, a technical difficulty will not allow me to upload this.

In due course, I hope to make an original scan of a Victorian version in our possession, when time permits. We are most thankful to have an edge-scanner, which is specifically designed to scan bound books. We have yet to try it out, however! When we do, “The Imitation” will be first up. My goal is to make our Library the first choice for those wishing to view alternate texts of The Imitation of Christ. Remember, all PDFs are FREE and you do NOT need to register to download. We are a not-for-profit resource for the promotion of the Biblically-based knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. -John Ruffle, curator/founder.

I’ve been beavering away at odd moments to improve what we have here at the D H Ruffle Memorial Library. In the process of preparing more books to add, I may have in all innocence crossed the line on a copyright or two, so I will be seeking out clarifications and/or permissions where needed before posting.

A couple of things that we need here: (1) a hyperlinked index of titles (which may require a complete re-design so is not an overnight fix!) and (2) a section devoted to hyperlinks to external sites where we cannot obtain permission to use original material. (For instance, at present, this applies to any document sourced at the Vatican.)

Finally, I can only apologise for the lack of updates here. However, I am very thankful that the Library is consistantly getting hits from around the world, and this indeed was the fundamental purpose of this tool in the very first place.

NEW for 2014: The D. H. Ruffle Memorial Library Launches the Christian Newsletter of the Year Awards 2013.

It’s good to stay in touch with our faith both historically (which is the point of my collection of over 100 free downloads here) and with events as they happen around the world today. And that’s where Christian newsletters, feed and blogs come in. I’ve selected the top 6 newsletters that have helped inform and inspire me during the past 12 months.

Charisma News realizes that the Body of Christ is bigger and more diverse than just the charismatic movement, while remaining faithful to their Biblical roots. They have a multitude of FREE newsletter resources they mail out if requested, reporting on what’s happening (mainly) in the North American neo-penticostal and new church scene.

Charisma News gets the award for challenging the excesses of the wealth and prosperity preaching variety of mega-church pastors, who really DO live what they preach. Unfortunately.

New Advent Catholic News helps you discover the Jesus-loving church that is the Catholics’ best kept secret. Launched by Kevin Knight after the 1993 World Youth Day led by Pope John Paul II, it began as an online resource project -much like my own here- but in Kevin’s case, to digitize the 1913_Catholic_Encyclopedia. But New Advent has grown to be much more, with its regular newsletters unfailingly putting the finger on the pulse on what’s happening in the Catholic Christian world.

New Advent gets the award for remaining independent while at the same time being faithful to the Catholic Church, which can be quite hierarchical at times. Even under Pope Francis.

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PS:I struggled for ages over who to award the top spot to, and I finally decided I had to make a JOINT TOP AWARD. It so happens that one’s Catholic and the other Protestant, which makes me doubly happy. Both Charisma News and New Advent have been of immeasurable help for me to personally keep abreast last year of what really counted in terms of keeping my personal faith in Jesus relevant, scriptural and inspired. I hope these FREE Newsletters help you too during 2014.

We reflect upon the Nativity of Our Lord and think further about how the Incarnation of the Living Word of God might impact the Church, our lives, and indeed this world during this New Year. At this time let us pause to reflect upon the wonder of the “Word made flesh” and dwelling among us. We are NOT an orphan planet, but part of a beautiful creation that our Father God Adoni has not only blessed.. but LOVES constantly with arms outstretched, welcoming us home to be united with Him through Jesus Christ, Yeshua the long awaited Messiah of Israel.

As world leaders struggle to find answers to global problems that are the result of our own chaos and sin, the answer is ever before them in the person of Christ.. The One whom they reject and cast out of western society as an intruder, as laws are passed that disregard the law and the love, compassion, and mercy of God. Finding God’s will in the midst of a pagan society is as simple – and costly- as a total on-going heart-surrender to Jesus Christ, the crucified, risen and ascended Lord of all.

To do this effectively we need a portrait of Jesus. We find this in the pages of Holy Scripture. The Early Church Fathers add colour to those pages as we learn of the struggles, heart searching and triumphs of the early Church. These writings are all here on my website, totally free for you to download.. around 200 individual volumes.

As we consider the impact of these historic and eternal truths upon the imprint of our own souls, I pray that my online library of free Bibles and devotional books will help you in your quest in 2013. May the God of Israel and the Redeemer of all mankind bless and inspire you by His Holy Spirit now and always, amen.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the 2nd Vatican Council in 1962. Maybe you were not alive at the time, it is understandable if the significance of Vatican II can be somewhat taken for granted by many Catholics today.

As a kid, however, when we were late for our Anglican Mass, my father would take me to the Roman Mass, where I would sit spell-bound (and sometimes a little bored, I confess!) as the priest, back to the congregation, and off in the far distance, would drone on in Latin. Meanwhile, I would admire, fascinated, at the statues of Mama Mary and the Saints and love the wafts of incense!

I was brought up an Anglican, and later had an encounter with Jesus during the Jesus Movement in USA, before the Lord slowly and graciously allowed me to return to Catholic spirituality, culminating in my reception into the Roman Catholic Church this last Easter-tide. So, I am both an “old” Catholic and a “new” one all in one person, in that I recall the old Latin Mass, and also can gaze in wonder at the depths of the Mass with “new” eyes as well!

Today also marks the beginning of the “Year of Faith” and so I would like to encourage us all to really take this to heart, and to encourage one another in the most holy faith, throughout the year. Don’t be afraid of honest questions, because our God is bigger than any human doubts. Let’s not be ashamed of our faith! Let us draw close to Jesus every single day, and pouring out our hearts to Him, seeking His will for our lives more and more earnestly. One of the things that prevents us from really progressing in our lives is when we have other agendas ahead of God’s agenda for us. Let us seek first and foremost to be DISCIPLES of Jesus this coming year. Jesus is not a gene to help us advance our careers! He wants to be the sum total of our lives, with everything else we do, to fit into this great and hidden plan that He holds in His hands for us! As we do these things, may each one of us be carriers of the love and grace of God, and be bearers of the fruit of that blessed Council that commenced 50 years ago this week, Amen!

With God’s blessings,

Brother John

PS: I’m thankful for those who have pointed out errors on my blog here, and also for thoise who have made specific requests. The site is due for an update, and I hope to have the time shortly to do that, in the mean time, there are still over 100 books here for download as pdf files, free of charge.

New for 2012 we’ve added a web-link to a marvellous children’s Bible that includes stories from both Old and New Testaments, and – this is the good bit – it is downloadable in over 50 different languages!

Studying the Word

With full permission, we’ve placed a sample chapter on our “Youth” page, – The Story of the Good Samaritan in English – and also added LINKS to the external website where all can be viewed ands downloaded – for free, of course!

The book my father wrote in the last 12 months of his terminal illness. Thank you for your prayers as I finish the final proof-reading. Also coming soon: first ever seen photos of D. H. Ruffle. I was looking through them with my elderly mother last Sunday night, and some of them I’d never seen before! Other updates scheduled for the half-term holidays include an index of titles, and the addition of some obvious and some less obvious omissions. God bless you, John Ruffle 7th February 2012

Also, as today is the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, we’ve added a short 20 page biography of his life from the Catholic Encyclopedia, highlighting his multi-volume Gospel commentary: ‘Catena Aurea -Commentary on the Four Gospels Collected out of the Works of the Fathers by St. Thomas Aquinas.’

Born in 16th century France, the remarkable backdrop to St. Francis de Sales life must have been the Protestant Reformation, which stormed Europe during his lifetime. After a personal crisis of faith, (a hallmark of so many great Christians from St. Peter and St. Paul onwards to the present day), he decided to dedicate his entire life to God. Francis came to the conclusion that whatever God had in store for him was good, because “God is love”. This faithful devotion to the God of love not only expelled his doubts, but also influenced the rest of his life and his teachings.

He was consecrated bishop of of Geneva in 1602, during which time he gained a reputation as an inspirational preacher and something of an ascetic; in particular, he was known as a friend of the poor; very approachable and of a deeply understanding and compassionate nature. These last qualities come through in his books, the most famous of which was Introduction à la vie dévote (“Introduction to the Devout Life”), which he wrote not as a theological treatise, but rather to help the non-clergy Christian faithful deepen his or her faith and devotion to Christ. (He uses the address “my daughter” in his writings.) His manner of teaching is often referred to as the Way of Divine Love, or the Devout Life, taken from the book he wrote of a similar name: “Introduction to the Devout Life”, added in its entirely here, on his feast-day of 24th January, at: D. H. Ruffle Memorial Libraryfor free download.

GEMS – The Missing Link!

My apologies, I sent out my weekly update a few minutes ago with the new link missing! Here it is below – Thirteen pages well worth reading! While you are on the site, do take a browse at the OTHER new acquisitions we’ve put up in the past seven days!

This week, we highlight an early 20th century document we’ve unearthed that puts a new spin on the theology of revivalist preacher and founder of Methodism, John Wesley. Wesley was greatly used by God to spread a revival of faith among the commoners of England and also, travelling by horseback, to the ‘new colonies’ – the United States. Although he remained a Church of England clergyman, the Methodist denomination owes its roots to his life, witness, ministry and Gospel zeal. Here then is an essay published in 1905 by SPCK (the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge – the 3rd oldest publishing house in the UK). Written by G. W. Taylor, it attempts to link the early 19th century Ango-Catholic liturgical revival to the theology and practice of Wesley – otherwise thought to be a low-churchman. Who would have thought to link the worthy names of the Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890) – one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement in the 1830s, who as an Anglican priest, later became Roman Catholic and subsequently made a cardinal – and John Wesley, (1703-1791) – a product of the Reformation if ever there was one! Their births were almost exactly one century apart, with Wesley impacting the 18th and Newman the 19th. Both of course, shared a deep passion and devotion to Jesus Christ our Lord. But did they have much more in common than we have previously thought? Read this 13 page document to find out! -John Ruffle, 22/01/2012

Free PDF books reach where other books can’t! For those with no Internet in poverty, we can send pre-loaded USB sticks (they will still need a PC with Adobe reader installed.)

BROWSE our categories this weekend where it be Church History or a download of the Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible.. there are over 250,000 pages for free download.. and we won’t stop until we reach 1 million precious pages!

In the weeks to come, we plan to profile specific works to make them more accessible to you. In the meantime, view our NEW IMAGE GALLERY as you click on the top tabs – and pass the Word on!

D H Ruffle Memorial Library

Librarian & Webmaster:

John Ruffle

John Ruffle is the originator of the D. H. Ruffle Memorial eBook Library, sharing over 100 volumes to read online or to download FREE in pdf format, for the glory of God and the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.